The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood Interview - Part 1

Lord of the Rings: Online is one of the most successful MMOs on the market. With the J. R. R. Tolkien license at their disposal, this game represents the closest fans will ever get to the land of Middle-Earth. We sat down with Turbine Entertainment's PR Manager Adam Mersky to discuss what forthcoming expansion, Siege of Mirkwood, brings to the epic universe.

Gamerzines: Siege of Mirkwood is the conclusion of Volume II - how big is it?

Adam Mersky: Siege of Mirkwood is Book 9 of the Volume II Epic Story. Not only is this Book about twice the length of a normal Epic book, it also includes an Epilogue for players who want to continue even beyond that. There is a LOT to enjoy here.

GZ: The digital expansion is an interesting idea - how come there's no retail release?

AM: The market for games is evolving, and we want to stay on the cutting edge. The most direct and efficient way for us to deliver this update is to deliver it digitally. We're excited about the release and looking forward to getting it out to players soon.

GZ: Some fans are seeing this as a way of charging for a content update - is this something your considering for content updates in the future?

AM: The Lord of the Rings Online is committed to continuing free content updates and support. Siege of Mirkwood has so many new systems in it from Skirmishes to Legendary Item and combat system upgrades, along with a level cap increase, that this is really an expansion for the game. This is far bigger than any free content release we have done.